Woodward and Bernstein?
by iworkwithpens
Summary: Once upon a time, Will and Mackenzie were together for two years. And yet, we never hear much about their former life as a couple. Did they live together? Had they talked about marriage and children? Did they have a dog? Some remnant of that time in their lives must still exist, right? Meet Woodward.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: As you start reading this one, keep in mind, this story starts out the night of the NewsNight 2.0 anniversary party and continues on from there in my own little alternative universe. So, in this fictional world, there has never been a voicemail or stoned Will. But that also means that Brian Brenner has never been brought in to write that disastrous magazine article. Let's focus on the positive…no Brian Brenner. 'Nuff said. Read on…**

Will was quite certain that he wasn't trying to be mean spirited about it. Really, he wasn't. That's what he'd told himself as he had arranged to have Woody boarded at the veterinarian's office the weekend of that first NewsNight anniversary party.

The dog wasn't used to a lot of people around and the last thing he wanted was constant barking or, worse yet, constant marking of his territory during the little get together. He was protecting the dog and the partygoers. Yeah, that was it. He was _not_ trying to hold their dog hostage.

He did notice the way Mackenzie looked around the apartment though. Not in the way someone appraises the furniture or notices the artwork. No, she was looking for Woody… or at least for signs of him. Dog hair on the furniture or food dishes on the floor. He saw the look on her face when she found no trace of an animal in his home.

But he pushed that out of his mind.

For two diehard workaholics a dog had seemed like an incredibly stupid idea. But he'd seen the way Mac had looked at the rescue puppies they had passed by one weekend out in Montauk visiting friends. They had still been in that phase of their relationship where one simple look or touch from her sent him into overdrive trying to meet whatever demand she had just made. One little bat of her eyelashes while she was looking at the mutts was all it took. Oh, who was he kidding, he had always reacted like that to Mackenzie…but the dog thing had seemed like a truly crazy idea looking back at it now.

They took the scruffy little thing home that weekend and Mackenzie had promptly named him Woodward. He took mercy on the poor pup and began calling him Woody instead. They'd had that dog for just over a year before it all went to hell. There really had been no question of who was keeping him. Mackenzie had kept her tiny little shoebox of an apartment even after they'd moved in together and the place didn't allow pets anyway. Of course, he had no idea Mac already had it in her head that she was going to traipse off to Iraq, so it was no wonder she didn't try to keep him.

The damn dog almost seemed to take the break-up worse than he did. He swore the poor thing was going to starve to death that first week. Will took to feeding him Chinese food right out of the carton. That's how desperate he was to get Woody to eat. Eventually, they both returned to normal. Well, as normal as either of them were ever going to be without her. They both seemed to become quiet, reclusive introverts after she left.

Will actually had to lock Woody up if he brought another woman into the apartment. He had learned that the hard way after his first blind date threatened to sue over "that mangy mutt who nearly bit off a finger." Woody didn't take kindly to Mackenzie being replaced. Will would quietly reassure the dog that wasn't likely to happen.

And so, a few days after the anniversary party and after the chaos over the Bin Laden capture quieted down, Will figured he was safe in arriving at the office a bit later than usual. He slept in a little, slowly prepared for work while reading The New York Times and drinking his coffee. That's when he realized the housekeeper still hadn't showed up. This was also the woman who kept Woody company and took him for walks until Will got home. When the clock neared ten and there was still no sign of her he started to wonder what the hell he should do. He left her a post-it note on the kitchen counter asking her to come to the office to pick up the dog when she made it in.

Wonderful, he thought to himself. He was going to have to bring the damn dog to work. Was there any possible way he could keep Mackenzie from noticing this? Not likely. Woody had grown into a fifty-pound bruiser who still thought he was a lap dog. He was a presence that was for sure.

Will tried to sneak into the newsroom, but that was hard to do when you were a six foot three anchorman being pulled through the room by the mutt from hell.

"Woody!" he yelled, trying in vain to get the dog to stop running.

He was sure he left behind a newsroom full of laughing journalists.

"What the hell was that?!" he heard Sloan yell.

Yeah, he had made it through the office totally unnoticed.

Will released the dog from his leash once he had firmly shut his office door behind him and pulled out a rawhide bone from his briefcase, hoping it would keep Woody busy for awhile. The dog, however, was in full bloodhound mode sniffing every square inch of the place. Will saw the door crack open and Sloan pushed her way in.

"Shut the door fast!" he yelled to her.

"Is today take your dog to work day or something?" she asked.

"No, it's take your dog to work because the housekeeper-slash-dogsitter didn't show up and I didn't want to come home tonight to find a pile of shredded leather furniture sitting in my living room."

"Since when do you have a dog anyway?" Sloan asked.

"Since he was a puppy. Was there something you needed Sloan?" he asked tersely.

"Good talking to you too Will. I get the point…I'm leaving" she said, pushing open the door. Unfortunately, Woody took off right behind her and made a bee line for Mackenzie's office.

"Wonderful. Thanks Sloan!" Will yelled, following the dog.

If anyone was surprised to see their boss stalking across the room after a dog they didn't mention it, but probably only because they soon heard yelling coming from Mac's office.

"Woodward!" she yelled. "Oh hello to you too sweetheart!"

Will followed the sounds of her endearments and found her lying on the floor with Woody splayed across her, the dog licking her face excitedly.

"I guess your dog likes Mackenzie" Sloan said, smirking from the corner of the room.

"He was always a little too attached to her" Will admitted.

"Sounds just like his owner" Sloan remarked and stalked off.

"Woody, get off her" Will admonished, trying to grab hold of his collar.

"He does _not_ need to get off me. He missed me, didn't you boy?" she asked the dog. Woody responded with an enthusiastic lick to her face.

"I didn't think you'd want dog hair all over that black skirt Mackenzie."

"And I didn't think you still had him. Where was he last weekend?" she asked.

"At the vet's. He's not good with a lot of people."

"No he's not, just like his daddy. But, you like me don't you Woody?" she asked the dog.

"We'll just let you get back to work Mac. Come on Woody" Will called, pulling the dog's collar. Woody simply growled at him.

"I think he's happy right where he is Will."

"Right now Woody" Will said more firmly.

The dog sat next to Mackenzie and looked at him, tilting his head back and forth, but making no move to leave the room.

"He's fine here Will, really."

"Fine" he said stalking off. First she breaks my heart, now she steals my dog.

By mid-day, Will could see to whom his dog pledged his allegiance. Woody even followed Mackenzie right into the afternoon run down meeting and laid down next to her chair the whole time.

Will watched as Charlie smirked from the corner.

"Smart dog you have there Will" Charlie said through his laughter.

As the day progressed, and Will became quite certain he wasn't getting his dog back, a few thoughts occurred to him. One, where the hell was the housekeeper anyway? None of this would have happened if she had shown up for work. Two, he missed his dog. And three, he missed Mackenzie. Not necessarily in that order.

By that evening, Will finally learned from Rosa's husband that the poor woman had fallen on a patch of loose asphalt outside their apartment building and wouldn't be in for at least a week due to a seriously sprained ankle. Right, time to see what Woody and Mackenzie were up to.

He walked quietly up to Mac's open office door and peeked inside. He could just barely make out the tip of Woody's tail protruding from underneath her desk.

"Has he been in here all day?" he asked.

"Except for a couple of trips outside to do his business, yes" Mackenzie told him.

"He's going to be here all week just so you know. Rosa sprained her ankle."

"Well, that's too bad. But now I'll get to see Woodward a bit more" she responded, reaching under the desk to pat the dog's head, he assumed, as his tail began to thump rapidly against her desk.

"I wasn't trying to hide him from you Mackenzie" he said with conviction, even though he wasn't sure that was the truth. She seemed to know this and cocked her head to the side appraising his statement.

"He isn't my dog anymore Will. You have every right to hide him from me if you want to."

Damn, he hated these conversations. The ones that started off innocuously enough but somehow ended up back at Brian Brenner and cheating and a life where he and Mackenzie weren't together anymore. Thank God they never had children. If talking about a dog they had shared for a year was bad how the hell would they have handled custody arrangements?

"You can come over and see him if you like?" The words slipped from his mouth almost against his will. What the hell are you thinking, he wondered? You have just gotten to the point where looking at her doesn't hurt anymore. Where working with her was fun and enjoyable and challenging and everything it used to be. Why the hell are you trying to complicate that now? Because you miss her you idiot, his inner voice screamed.

"You wouldn't mind?" she asked.

"No."

"Goodnight Woodward. I'll see you soon" she whispered to the dog and urged him out from under her desk.

"Come on Woody. Let's go home" Will called, but the dog didn't budge from Mackenzie's side.

"Now Woody" he said more firmly. The dog whined and laid his head on Mackenzie's lap. Will knew the feeling. He didn't want to go home without her either.

Mackenzie grabbed the dog's leash and hooked it to his collar and led him over to Will. "See you soon Woodward" she reassured him.

Will wasn't sure who was looking forward to it more: him or the dog.

**More Author's Notes: Many thanks to the ladies of the Newsroom Writer's Group, who urged me to continue this one way back when it was just an idea and about 500 words. Thanks Tracy, Steph, Katy, Gina, Ash, Millie, Judith, Chloe, et al. Can't wait to start discussing season two with you all!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: Thanks to teanc09 for graciously allowing me to use the idea of the brownstone as Mackenzie's New York home. Thanks to everyone else for the lovely reviews. I am trying to get this story, in its entirety, posted by the season two premiere. We'll see if that actually happens. Wish me luck…and happy reading! P.S.-A prodigious amount of reviews may encourage quick posting on my part…hint hint.**

The rest of the week seemed to follow that same pattern. Will would find himself being dragged into the newsroom by his dog only to lose custody of him for the remainder of the day as Woody proceeded to lay himself at Mackenzie's feet. He finally gave up and just brought all the dog's things into her office.

By Friday Will was ready to admit that maybe the dog had a good idea. Laying himself at Mackenzie's feet and begging for her forgiveness for being an ass for more than a year sounded like a pretty good plan. Especially if that resulted in Woody, Mackenzie and him back at home curled up in bed together watching the morning news.

"Hi" he called out to her from the doorway of her office.

"Hello. Looking for Woodward?" she asked, barely looking up from the pile of paperwork on her desk.

"Yeah, I guess. I was going to take him outside and grab some lunch. Care to join us?" he asked nervously. Mackenzie looked up in shock.

"Lunch?" she asked warily.

"Yeah, you know that meal in the middle of the day that you usually forget to eat?"

"I don't forget it. I just don't tend to actually _eat_ it, that's all" she pouted.

"Well, let's give it a shot then, shall we?" he pleaded.

"Ok" she responded, grabbing her purse and Woody's leash and heading for the door, keeping her eyes on him the whole time.

"Stop looking at me like I might spontaneously combust at any moment Mac. It's just a sandwich and a walk in the park, not the Spanish Inquisition."

"I think the Spanish Inquisition might be safer" she muttered under her breath.

That one hurt. He knew he had been an ass to her for a while now. He knew he had every right to be angry with her. He knew his wounded heart justified _some _of his behavior, but at a certain point he also knew he had a decision to make. Forgive her and move on or ask her to leave. And he knew he could never ask Mackenzie to leave. Hell, even in those first few days of shock, when she had told him about Brian, _he_ wasn't the one to ask her to leave. He couldn't…his heart just wouldn't let him. However, he never uttered a single word to her either, so she made the decision for them. She left the country.

He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the elevator. Woody sat between the two of them and looked back and forth during the ride down to the lobby. Lonny was waiting near the front doors and joined them.

They made their way down the street toward a deli the staff at ACN frequented and he took the dog's leash and watched her go in to order their sandwiches. "It's easier this way Will. No one is going to recognize _me_." He had to admit, she had a point. So, he clutched the dog's leash and backed himself up against a vacant storefront and hoped to God no one would decide they wanted a picture with him at that moment.

"You're letting _her_ buy lunch? Didn't your mother ever teach you how to be a gentleman?" Lonny asked him.

"I haven't knocked you out yet, have I? I think that's pretty chivalrous of me."

"I'm shaking in my boots McAvoy" Lonny muttered.

Soon Mackenzie returned, bag in hand, and they walked toward the park. Woody sniffed every tree and bush within a twenty foot radius, did his business, and then sat next to a park bench to soak up the sun. Will followed the dog's lead and took a seat on the bench, but Mackenzie just stood nearby grasping the paper bag containing their lunch in her hands.

"You know, if you don't stop that, pretty soon there won't be a lunch for us to eat" he admonished. Mackenzie looked down at the bag she was clenching between both fists and apologized.

"Sorry" she said nervously and took a seat next to him.

"Mackenzie, it's a fucking turkey sandwich. Relax would you?"

"Ok" she mumbled.

God, he hated that he had done this to her. Turned her into some sort of shrinking violet in his presence. Not that she was like that at work. Hell no! She wouldn't let him get away with anything at work, but alone…just the two of them…she tended to fall apart these days. And the worst part was that he knew he had made her this way.

"It's ok, Kenz. I promise" he told her, grasping her hands and loosening her grip on the deli bag.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Yeah" he reassured, handing her a sandwich.

"He's gotten so big" Mackenzie remarked, looking down at Woodward.

"He stopped eating for about a week after you left, so I bribed him with Chinese food. He's been a tad overweight ever since." Will watched as a tear streaked down her cheek and she turned her face away to hide it. He let her have a moment.

"You shouldn't feed him table scraps Will. It's terrible for him."

"Can I help it if he likes Moo Shu Chicken?"

"_You_ like Moo Shu Chicken Will. He would happily eat whatever you give him, so stick to what the vet recommends."

"You hear that Woody? You seem to like her more than you like me these days, but if it was up to your mother you would eat nothing but that diet kibble the vet tries to push on us."

Then suddenly she was in tears again and he hadn't the first clue why.

"What? What did I say Mac? You can feed him whatever you want, ok?" he asked, passing her a few napkins to wipe her face.

"I should get back to work Will. Thank you for lunch and for letting me see Woodward. It meant a lot" she said quietly and gathered her purse to leave.

"Wait, Mac. Look, I don't know what the hell I did or didn't do, but please don't go. We can take an hour for lunch without killing each other. Can't we?" He felt like he was begging now, but damn it, he didn't know what else to do.

"Some other time, ok Will? I should go now." The dog began to whimper and pace.

"Maybe you could come over this weekend? To see the dog I mean. You can take him out on your own if I make you uncomfortable?" Wait, when the hell had he become the one begging her to come visit him? To come visit them? To come _home_?

"That would be nice. Maybe I will" she assured him as she turned to go.

Later that night, lying in bed with Woody stretched out along what used to be Mackenzie's side of the mattress, Will wondered what the hell he was doing. A few months ago he was strutting through the newsroom with women young enough to be his daughters and yelling at Mac to mind her own damn business when she dared question his dating habits. Now, suddenly, he was trying to share joint custody of their dog with her?

"Have I lost my mind Woody?" he asked the dog. Woody growled and jumped off the bed in response.

"I take it from that retort that you want her to come back home?" Will shouted after him. Woody barked twice and left the room.

"I'm working on it pal. I'm working on it."

The weekend dragged along and time and again Will stopped himself from calling her. She had never promised she would come over. He wouldn't try to force her. But by noon on Sunday he gave up all pretences of looking cool and aloof and dialed her cell phone.

"Hello?" she answered in a hoarse voice.

"Mac?"

"Will? Did you need something?"

"Well, I thought you might want to take the dog for a bit, but you sound awful. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just a cold…or laryngitis…or something. I don't know. Listen, I'm going back to bed now. I'll see you tomorrow ok?" she asked, and then coughed so loudly he had to hold the phone away from his ear.

"Are you sure you should be alone Mac? Can I bring you some soup or something?" What the hell McAvoy? She's a big girl…surely she can battle a virus on her own.

"I'm fine Will, really. I'll see you tomorrow" she said and hung up the phone.

He sat and stared at the wall. Then he paced. Then he looked through his cupboards for soup and cold medicine. He knew Mackenzie and she never prepared for anything. Her cupboards were always bare. He called Lonny and told him to come and pick him up.

"Come on Woody. Let's go take care of your mother before she hacks up a lung" he told the dog and then stopped dead in his tracks. Mother. That's what had upset Mackenzie the other day. He had referred to her as Woody's mother. As silly and juvenile as it sounded, they had always referred to each other as Woody's mom and dad when they were together. It was the kind of ridiculous stuff every couple did…before they had _actual_ children, Will supposed. Telling the dog to bring the toy to Daddy. Or asking why the mangy mutt wouldn't inform Mommy of its need to go outside. That's what had probably stunned Mackenzie in the park the other day. Because if they weren't together anymore, and if she wasn't around to take care of Woody, then she wasn't his mother…was she?

Oh good Lord, now he was silently debating the ethics of canine custody and to whom the dog owed his allegiance. He really needed professional help…or maybe he just needed his girlfriend back.

Will loaded Woody into the back of Lonny's SUV and then got into the front seat and gave the bodyguard directions to Mackenzie's house. Lonny gave a low, appreciative whistle when they pulled up in front of the brownstone.

"Does she get paid more than you do?" Lonny asked.

"She's very good at her job, but no, she doesn't" Will barked out harshly, then softened his tone. "This is her parent's house, but they spend most of the year in England now, so Mac lives here."

"And you broke up with her? Let me get this straight? She's brilliant, she's hot, she keeps your crazy ass in line _and_ she's rich? What the hell McAvoy? Get in there and beg her for another chance!" Lonny shouted.

"Shut up Lonny! And I'm working on it, ok?" Will replied as he jumped out of the car and grabbed the dog.

"I'll be down the street waiting for your call, unless, you know, you want to just spend the rest of the weekend here?" Lonny shouted out the window after him.

Will had the distinct urge to flip the man off, but he didn't. With his luck there would be some tourist with a camera waiting to sell that photo to TMZ within the hour. He rang the door bell and waited.

"Will?" Mac croaked hoarsely as she opened the door. Woody pushed his way in and Will had no choice but to follow.

"I figured you would have nothing here so I brought some soup, Nyquil and ginger ale. Oh, and of course, Woody."

"Hello boy!" Mackenzie greeted the dog, then began coughing. "Come on in you two."

She had barely gotten the sentence out of her mouth before Woody shot off up the stairs toward Mackenzie's bedroom.

"What the hell do you have up there Mac? A meat packing facility? I haven't seen that dog move so fast in years."

"Oh shit!" she yelled and took off up the stairs hot on Woody's trail.

"Mac?!" he yelled, running after her.

Woody was running through the brownstone like his hair was on fire and Mackenzie was making quite an effort at keeping up with him.

"Mackenzie stop!" Will yelled, watching her wheeze and cough. "Would you like to tell me what the hell all that was about?"

"Bernstein!" she yelled between coughs.

"The _Washington Post_ reporter?" he asked, beginning to wonder if perhaps she wasn't a bit high on cough medicine already. Maybe he really didn't need to bring her any Nyquil.

"No, my cat" she told him, plopping down on the stairs and pushing her hair out of her face.

"You have a cat named Bernstein? Wait, let me get this straight? You named our dog Woodward and you named your cat Bernstein? Watched _All The President's Men _one too many times, have we Mac?" he asked, chuckling.

"Hey, they were heroes of journalism when journalism still stood for something! Forgive me if I have a sentimental longing for days gone by" she huffed.

"Me too" he whispered, sitting down next to her on the stairs and pulling her into his side.

"I missed him" Mac said desperately, watching Woody run around her house as if he owned the place.

"Just him?" Will asked.

"No, not just him Billy" she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his shoulder.

Just then she sneezed into his polo shirt.

"Thanks Mac" he said sarcastically.

"Sorry."

"Come on, let's get you some soup and some medication. Those two will work it out" he reassured her, hoping like hell that he was right. He'd hate to discover Woodward making a meal out of Bernstein.


	3. Chapter 3

"Go lay down Mac. I'll finish cleaning up in here" Will reassured her as he watched her eyelids droop again. Mackenzie had taken some Nyquil just before starting in on the soup he heated up and now she seemed to be fighting its effects.

"No, I'm fine" she slurred.

"I'm sure you are Mac, but you're about to do a face-plant into your soup so just go lay down please."

He watched as she pulled herself out of the kitchen chair and sleepily trudged from the room. He finished cleaning up the dishes and looked through the fridge and cupboards for any signs of actual food. Damn Mackenzie, do you _ever_ go grocery shopping? There was nothing in this place but tea, coffee and yogurt. He decided he better make a few phone calls. He ordered some groceries to be delivered and then put in an order for Chinese from the place down the street they used to love. The moment he hung up the phone it started ringing and he grabbed for it before he could stop himself.

"Hello?" he whispered harshly, wondering if the noise had awoken Mackenzie.

"Who is this?" a crisply accented voice barked back at him.

"John?" Will questioned back. Oh shit, Mac was going to kill him.

"William? Good to hear your voice again. Are you and that daughter of mine stirring the pot over there or are you just sitting back and not offending anyone with your middle of the road broadcasts?"

"You don't really think your daughter would let me get away with that do you?" Will asked the man he had once considered a father.

"Of course not, just checking. Why are you answering the phone at the brownstone at half past one on a Sunday afternoon?" Will could hear the hopeful tone in the man's voice. He hated to be the one to let him down.

"Mac's a little under the weather. Just here to bring her some soup."

"Are you sure that's the only reason you're there?" the old man asked and Will swore he could see him winking and grinning from across the Atlantic.

"Absolutely" Will answered quickly.

"If you insist. Tell Kenzie I called, would you?"

"As soon as she wakes up. Good talking to you John."

"You too William."

Will hung up the phone and walked into the living room to find Mackenzie sprawled out on the couch. He grabbed a blanket to throw over her and then went off in search of Woodward and Bernstein.

"Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds Mac? What ever happened to names like Fluffy and Spot?" he mumbled as he climbed the stairs in search of the animals in question. Just then the dog ran past him into Mac's bedroom, presumably, in search of Bernstein.

"Give it a rest would you Woody?"Will pleaded. Woody paused in his search for his new friend and seemed to be appraising Will. He slowly trotted over to the bed and hopped up. He pawed at the duvet until he had made himself a little nest of blanket to climb into and then he settled down for a nap.

"I don't think she really wants you up there Woody" Will told him, but the dog paid absolutely no attention and curled up to go to sleep.

"Fine, but if anyone is getting in trouble for this, it's you pal" Will warned as he climbed into the bed and grabbed the remote to flick on the television. Just then Bernstein made an appearance from behind the armoire in the corner of the room.

"Hey Bernie, sorry we've invaded your territory. We're harmless, I swear." As if seeming to understand this, the cat stalked around the bed and gracefully leaped on top of it. He curled up in the space between Will's legs and glared at Woody. The dog stared for a moment and then hid his snout in the sheets and sighed.

"Good move Woody. It's best to be diplomatic about these things. Accept that your relationship with Mackenzie has changed. Just because Bernie is here doesn't mean she loves you any less" he reassured the dog and patted his head.

"Did you want to get him an 'I'm the big brother' t-shirt too?" Mackenzie snorted from the doorway, causing Will to jump slightly.

"Jesus Mac! I thought you were still asleep?"

"I never could sleep in the middle of the day very well. Not even with medication. Thanks for cleaning up the kitchen" she told him, taking a seat on the bed next to Woody.

"Not a problem. I ordered you some groceries too and that God awful vegetable stir fry you like from Yen Ching. Should be here in about an hour."

"You didn't need to do that Will."

"Yes I did. You have a kitchen most professional chefs would kill for and there is absolutely no food in it. That's a disgrace."

"Ok, fine. Stock my kitchen. Most of it will go to waste though. As you well know, I can't cook" she said, almost sadly. Cooking had always been his domain in their relationship. She handled bill paying and vet appointments and politely turning down dinner invitations and cocktail parties because she knew he hated them. They had once had things down to a science, the two of them. He missed that.

"I thought I could cook for you sometime soon" he replied quietly.

"What are we doing Will?" she asked, climbing more fully onto the bed and watching Bernie clean his paws as he stretched out on Will's lap.

"We're sitting here talking and hoping Bernstein doesn't scratch Woodward's eyes out before the day is through."

"That's not what I meant and you know it" she sighed, leaning back into her pillows. Woody nudged his snout under her hand and requested a good head scratch. Mackenzie complied and the dog sighed in happiness. Will knew how he felt. Even though it was incredibly awkward, sitting here in a bedroom they had once shared, Will relished being this close to her again.

"I know that Mac. I don't know what we're doing. I haven't known that for a few years now" he sighed. They sat in silence for a few moments, willing the uncomfortable feeling to pass.

"He likes you" Mac whispered, nodding toward the cat.

"Yeah, well now we can tell Reese that the focus group data on cats is in and apparently even _they_ think I'm charming and affable. He'll be thrilled. This will open up a whole new demographic for ACN."

Mackenzie started chuckling until it turned into a nasty sounding cough and she turned her head away.

"You really should stay home tomorrow. You don't want to cough all over the staff and get everyone sick."

"I'll see how I'm feeling in the morning. Thank you for bringing me soup …and Woodward."

"The soup you can keep. Woody goes home with me." He thought maybe he was telling the dog this just as much as he was clarifying the situation for Mackenzie. Woody looked like he would be perfectly happy to stay in bed with Mac.

"He seems quite content where he is Will."

"I know he does, but he keeps the other side of the bed warm, so he comes with me" he said like a whiny, petulant child.

"Fine" Mackenzie grunted as she climbed under the covers. Just then the doorbell rang.

"I'll let the delivery man in and put the groceries away and then we'll head out. Did you need anything else?"

"No, we're fine thanks" Mackenzie said, scratching Bernstein behind his ears.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Please don't come in if you're still sick. We can handle things on our own for a day or two."

"No middle of the road pandering please Will" she reminded him. He chuckled at how much she sounded like her father.

"I won't go rogue on you Mackenzie. Your team wouldn't let me. Oh, by the way, your father called while you were asleep. He wants you to call him back" Will remembered just as he was leaving.

"You talked to him?" she asked.

"I didn't want the phone to wake you, so yes, I answered it and I spoke briefly with your dad."

"And how did that go?"

"We solved the world's economic crisis and have settled the age old dispute of whether or not the U.S. would still be part of England if George III hadn't been King."

"Ah, of course. Forget Cabinet secretaries and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Will McAvoy and John McHale can solve the world's problems with a single phone call" Mac chuckled.

"Damn right we can. He may still wonder why the hell you fell in love with a Republican but he has always respected my opinions."

"Yes he has Will. Not sure he respects mine too much anymore" she mumbled.

"What? What are you talking about Mac? You and your father get on famously. It's your mother that drives you insane."

"He didn't know Will. Not until I sent an email to the entire staff directory of AWM. He didn't know what I had done" she said sadly.

"Oh, that" he said quietly. Damn, when you blow the lid off a story you really do it all the way don't you Mac?

"Yeah, _that_. Don't worry about it Will. I'll call him later when I'm not doped up on cold medicine. He already raked me over the coals months ago. He just likes to rub it in every now and again and I'll need my wits about me for that conversation."

"I can talk to him if you want" he replied.

"What?"

"I can talk to him for you. This really isn't anyone else's business Mac and if you weren't so technologically ignorant it would have stayed that way. No one else needs to be lecturing you on my behalf. If anyone is going to have that conversation with you it's going to be me. Not Sloan or a tabloid or even your father. You and I will sit down, alone, and hash that one out." He stopped his tirade and watched the tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you Billy. You don't have to talk to my father but I would very much like to have that conversation with you. Thank you" she said, almost relieved, and sank into her pillows.

He wasn't quite sure where that whole speech came from but for the first time in nearly five years he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Maybe he was ready to stop blaming and being angry. Maybe he was ready to move on…maybe they both were. He walked over to the bed and pushed her hair out of her face, wiped her tears, and kissed her softly on the forehead.

"Get some rest Mac and go easy on your dad, he just wants you to be happy."

"I know he does, that's why he's so angry at me for mucking up my only chance at happiness" she told him, closing her eyes and leaning into the hand he had placed on the side of her face.

"Maybe not your _only_ chance Mac. If Woody and Bernie can make peace there may be hope for us yet" he told her, nodding at the two animals sniffing at each other in the corner of the room. She nodded her head at him and watched him lead Woody from the room.

"I hope you're right Will. I hope you're right" he heard her whisper as he left.


	4. Chapter 4

Will had to admit, he was more than a little shocked when Mackenzie _actually_ took his advice, and stayed home on Monday. Surprised and a little sad. He had gotten used to their slightly cozier, slightly less prickly, relationship of the past week. Woody had managed to subtly bring them closer together and Will felt vaguely adrift now without her here.

Despite Mackenzie's absence, and his somewhat melancholy demeanor, the show went off without a hitch and Will found himself eager to drop some food off at the brownstone on his way home.

"Lonny, we're going to Yen Ching to pick up an order and then to Mac's" he told the bodyguard on their way down to the car.

"See, that's how you do it McAvoy. _You_ buy the meal and then you bring it to her. Now you're thinking like a man in love" Lonny replied grinning.

"Shut the hell up and drive would you?" Will grumbled.

Once they reached the house, Will debated his options. Call her, and quite possibly wake her up, to tell her he was standing outside. Ring the doorbell, and quite possibly wake her up, or just hope that the same security code still worked on the side door and let himself in. He punched in the code and prayed to God that some horrible, blaring alarm wasn't about to be set off. He could just see the headlines now, "News Anchor Held For Questioning In Robbery Attempt." He waited, but nothing happened. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Bernstein rubbed up against his leg in greeting. "Hey Bernie. Where's the mistress of the house?"

"Brrrpp?" Bernie purred almost questioningly.

"Not going to help me out, huh?" Will asked the cat. Bernie just pawed at his shoe.

Will placed the Chinese take-out in the refrigerator and quietly went in search of Mackenzie. He found her sniffling into her pillow and grasping a used Kleenex.

"Mac?" he whispered, hoping not to scare her half to death.

"Hmmm" she mumbled, still asleep.

He looked at the tear stains tracking down her cheeks and wondered what the hell had happened. She was a little morose when he left last night, but she had seemed hopeful. Or at least, not _terribly_ hurt.

"Mackenzie, I brought food" he said softly, nudging her awake and grabbing the remote to turn off the television.

"Will?" she mumbled hoarsely.

"Yeah. It's ten o'clock. Have you had any dinner yet?"

"Dinner? No, I don't think so" she told him, sitting up and pulling her robe closer around her. What was the point, he wanted to ask? He already knew what she looked like naked. He dreamt about it every night…but he didn't think they were quite ready to have _that_ discussion just yet.

"I'll be downstairs heating it up. Come join me when you're ready" he told her, giving her a few moments alone to compose herself. She didn't like crying in front of people…not even him. He had learned from their years together when to push and when to stand back.

He was just dishing them up some hot and sour soup when she shuffled into the kitchen looking adorably disheveled.

"Is my show still up and running?" she asked.

"Yes, _your_ show is just fine Mac. We are professionals you know. We can survive one night without you. It was just the one night, right? You'll be back tomorrow?" he said, hoping he didn't sound too desperate.

"Of course" she replied indignantly.

"Did you get some rest?"

"I did. Is Rosa back? Is that why Woody isn't with you?" she asked.

"I knew it. You just like me for my dog" he pouted.

"I liked you _before_ the dog Will. He's just an added benefit."

"Kind of like workman's comp?" he teased.

"Yeah, exactly like workman's comp" she laughed as she blew on the hot soup.

"We might get that interview with Netanyahu. Jim's still talking to some people" he told her.

"That's great. Did I miss anything else?" she asked pointedly.

"What? Did you think I would do a story on the iPhone while you were gone?"

"I never know what to expect with you Will."

"You look better" he told her, taking in her rosy cheeks and bright eyes. She did look better, but she also looked like she had been crying for some time. Should he even ask?

"I feel better. I think I slept more today than I have in nearly a week" she mumbled, slurping her soup.

"Sorry I woke you" he apologized.

"You didn't...not really. Wait, how _did_ you get in here without waking me? Did I leave the door unlocked?" she asked worriedly.

"No. I took a chance that the garden door security code was still the same. You really should change that Mac. That code has been the same for more than five years. How many people have you given it out to in that time?"

"No one. Just you and my parents" she assured him.

"Oh, ok then" he replied haltingly, not quite sure what to make of the fact that she had included him in a very small group of people that she trusted. He was honored. He reached for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze and then let it go.

"I should get out of here. Let you go back to bed and rest. I'll see you tomorrow morning Mac."

"You don't have to go. If you don't want to" she said shyly.

"I do have to go Mac. You and I need to talk about some things and we're not going to do that when you're still doped up on cough syrup and anti-histamines." He looked at her meaningfully and hoped she understood what he was trying to say. That they _were_ going somewhere…the two of them. Just not tonight. She nodded.

"Besides, I have to let Woody out before he eats my sofa. Rosa probably left more than two hours ago" Will reminded her. She chuckled at that.

"I never did like that sofa. Maybe he's just trying to help me out" she told him.

"What do you have against my sofa Mac? It's very comfortable."

"For you maybe. Try sitting on that thing in the middle of summer with a robe that only comes down to mid-thigh. Some mornings I had to peel myself off the damn leather upholstery after I finished my coffee."

"You never said anything."

"I never said a lot of things I should have. The sofa seems the least of it now" she said sadly, rubbing at her eyes.

"What happened today Mac? Why were you crying?"

"It's nothing Will. I just get a little weepy when I'm sick. You know me…I'll be fine by tomorrow" she said a bit too brightly.

"You are a terrible liar" he told her, wiping at the tear that was clinging to her eyelashes.

"Obviously not. I've lied before" she said pointedly.

"I told you we're not doing this tonight Mac. I don't want one of us to say something we'll regret because we're tired or sick or not thinking clearly."

"I know. I don't know why I'm pushing" she said, and that's when it hit him….why she had been crying.

"Your father called didn't he?" She just nodded her head.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing that I didn't deserve. Forget it Will. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

Will let it go at that, but he knew that he had to do something. He had hurt Mackenzie enough over the past year and he wasn't about to let anyone else pick up where he left off…even if it was Mackenzie's own father.

**Author's Notes: Ok, it was a rather short chapter, but it's leading somewhere…I promise. And if any timetables seem off to you, or you're wondering why Will and Mac seem to be pussyfooting around each other, just remember that this story takes place right after the NewsNight first anniversary party. So, in fact, our heroes have only been working together for one year. And there has been no voicemail, or bleeding ulcer, or revelations of Mackenzie's "But It Can Be" sign. Work with me here folks, and suspend disbelief for another few chapters, it will be worth it. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes: Still trying to keep up with posting this one, despite the release of several new season two clips, which are totally taking my attention away and making me yearn for July 14****th****. Many thanks to those of you who are faithfully reviewing…it means the world! **

Early Tuesday morning Will awoke to the rather unpleasant feeling of a wet dog nose planted against his back.

"Woody, are you trying to remind me to get your mother to come home? Because I find it far more enjoyable to have _her_ pressed to my back" he grumbled at the mutt. Woody simply whined in response and pawed at his owner.

"Fine, be that way. Force an evening news anchor out of bed at six in the fucking morning!" he shouted as he stumbled out of bed and went in search of his jeans and t-shirt and sneakers so he could take the beast out.

"Could you at least try not to lead me on a five block expedition for the perfect place to pee?" he begged. Woody tilted his head questioningly.

After what had seemed like the world's longest search for a patch of grass the dog found acceptable, Will realized there was no chance in hell he was going to be able to go back to sleep. It was nearly 7am and he had no idea what to do with himself. And then he remembered the tear tracks that had streaked down Mackenzie's face the previous day and he began to plot.

How angry could she possibly get with him? He was trying to help her after all. He was trying to help _them_. And the last thing they needed was anybody else involved in their saga. So, he searched his address book and found the number he was looking for. Some quick mental math told him John McHale would likely be sitting down to lunch just now and that might be the perfect time to catch him. He listened to the phone ringing and prayed he was doing the right thing.

"Hello?" the voice at the other end called out.

"John?" Will asked.

"William? Twice in one week. To what do I owe the pleasure? Is Mackenzie alright?" the man sounded slightly panicked at the thought of what might have happened.

"She's fine. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"No, of course not. I'm retired…what the hell would you be disturbing?" the old man asked.

"I'd hardly call several lectures and one new book a year retired John." Will knew where Mackenzie's work ethic came from. It was her father. Neither of them could sit still for very long.

"Well, have to keep busy somehow. I'd drive the wife insane otherwise" John admitted.

"And how is Claire?" Will asked, truly curious as to how Mackenzie's argumentative, fractious parents had survived all these years together. Then again, that was one of the things he had most enjoyed about his relationship with Mac. They could argue about anything and everything and, generally speaking, it never got confrontational or mean-spirited. He'd missed that.

"She spends a lot of time shopping now that I'm home so much" the man grumbled. "Now, I know you have absolutely no interest in how my wife fills her days so cut the crap William and tell me what it is you are calling me about."

The man had been a diplomat, but he wasn't terribly diplomatic when it came to small talk. He hated it, but then, so did Will. Maybe that's why they had gotten along so well.

"Please don't take any offense when I say this John, but give your daughter a break" Will spit out before he could stop himself.

"What?!" the man stuttered. Will figured he better barrel ahead before he got cold feet.

"You heard me. She beats herself up enough for what she did John. And if Mackenzie and I have any hope of putting things back together then she can't be wallowing in guilt and self-pity for the rest of her life. Leave her alone and let us work this out _together_" Will pleaded.

"I didn't raise my daughter to be a liar" John McHale huffed out.

"No you didn't, which is why she told me the whole damn story before I could propose to her. She didn't have to. I never would have known…but _she_ would have. And she couldn't live with it. So please stop. No one else has the right to make her feel guilty for this John. Hell, I'm not even sure _I_ have the right to make her feel guilty for this anymore…she's done her penance and she's sorry. What more do you want from her? What more does _anyone_ want from her?" Will stuttered to a stop at that last bit. What more _did_ he want from her?

"I've got to go John. Just please stop giving her grief for this. She's carrying enough of a burden on her shoulders knowing what she did to me. She doesn't need to feel like she's disappointed you as well."

There was a long stretch of silence at the other end of the line and Will waited patiently.

"You're right, of course. It was none of my business, but then, Mackenzie made it the world's business, didn't she?" the man asked snickering slightly.

"Yeah, I guess she did. The woman survives Taliban attacks and confrontations with billionaire CEO's but she still can't figure out how to send a damn email" Will muttered to the only other man on earth who quite possibly loved her as much as he did.

"I'd like to see you two over here sometime soon William. I'm not as young as I used to be you know?"

"Can we try to patch up our relationship first John? Before we're making transatlantic flights together?" Will asked.

"Of course. I'd pity the other passengers stuck on a flight with you two while you were still fighting!"

Will laughed at that. "Good talking to you John."

"You too, William. Kiss that daughter of mine for me." And with that final comment, Will heard the phone disconnect, and he sat there for a few moments not quite sure what he had just done. Had he really just asked Mackenzie's family to butt out of their personal life so they could try to repair their broken relationship? Shit! That's exactly what he had done. Well, someone had to.

"Do you think she'll kill me Woody?" he asked the dog sitting at his feet. Woody barked his reply.

"Yeah, I think she just might. You better hope she takes mercy upon you and brings you back to her house after she beats me to a bloody pulp."

After a long, leisurely breakfast and several cups of coffee Will anxiously prepared to head to the office. He wasn't sure which he was dreading more…another day without Mackenzie in his ear or the death glares she may send him if she was there and if she had already spoken to her father. Maybe he should bring the dog, just in case. Surely she wouldn't kill him in front of Woody?

"Ok, you're going to the office my little furry friend. And just remember, if mommy seems a little upset with me, try to place yourself between us. That should give me enough time to escape before she can do any serious bodily harm." The dog just looked at him in confusion. Yeah, he couldn't believe he was talking about his relationship problems with a dog either.

Once at AWM, Woody bolted out of the elevator ahead of him and headed straight for Mackenzie's office. And that was when he heard it and knew he was in trouble.

"William Duncan McAvoy!" rang out through the newsroom. A few chuckles and snorts could be heard from the bullpen, then the staffers took one look at his face and wisely silenced their laughter.

"Yes dear" he mumbled, sticking his head into her office, where Woody had already made himself at home.

"Don't you dear me. Would you care to explain what _this_ is?" she asked, pointing to a lovely bouquet of flowers on her desk.

"They appear to be pink and white tulips" he told her. She looked up, clearly _not_ amused.

"Obviously Will. And?" she asked, leaving the word hanging in the air, evidently expecting him to continue explaining.

"Well, pink tulips signify caring and white tulips signify forgiveness. I would hazard a guess that someone is telling you that they're sorry" he replied, looking anywhere but into her eyes. Damn, how the hell much money had it cost her father to get flowers here so quickly?

"Wait, what? How the hell do you know what the color of a tulip is supposed to mean?" she asked. Clearly his explanation had stunned her and bought him a little time.

"We did a story on the meaning of flowers before you came back. Some horrible puff piece Don put together before Valentine's Day to please Leona I think. Did you want to know about any other flowers? You've never gotten snapdragons from anyone have you Mac? Because they mean presumptuousness, in case you were wondering. I'm not really sure what it is about a snapdragon that says one is being presumptuous but then again…" he was cut off by her yelling.

"Don't do that Will! You know I hate it when you start quoting fucking encyclopedias to avoid an argument. We'll be here all fucking day while you recite the entire fucking history of flower arranging instead of telling me why exactly my father had a fucking reconciliation bouquet sent to me this morning when I specifically asked you _not_ to talk to him!"

He knew he was in trouble when she used the word 'fucking' four times in the span of ten seconds. She was nearly panting now, whether out of frustration or anger he wasn't quite sure. He _was_ quite certain that he was turned on by it though. But this probably wasn't the time to mention that. Not if he wanted to survive the day. And not if he hoped there would be any _actual_ fucking in their near future. Shit, he hadn't said that out loud had he? No, he couldn't have. She would have killed him...maybe.

Woody was now hiding under her desk and whining at the yelling going on around him. Mackenzie looked down in shock at the poor creature.

"Oh Woodward, I'm so sorry sweetheart. Come here" she cooed to the dog, trying to urge him out from his hiding place. He inched his way toward her and followed her over to the small loveseat in the corner of the room. She sat and patted her lap allowing the dog to jump up and curl onto her.

"I told you not to call my father" she said quietly as she stroked the dog's ears.

"And I told you it was nobody's business but ours. Our entire romantic history is fucked up enough as it is without adding anyone else's opinion to the mix. I had to know that, when we do finally sit down and talk, it's just me you're listening to. No one else Mackenzie."

Will dropped down onto the sofa next to them. He reached out and grabbed her free hand and wound his fingers through hers.

"Ok?" he asked timidly.

"Ok" she said quietly after a moment.

"Will?"

"What?"

"Why is the dog here? I thought Rosa was back?"

"Would you laugh if I told you that he's protecting me from you?" he asked, without looking away from the dog and into her eyes.

She snorted and that got his attention.

"Are you laughing at me?" he asked, mock hurt.

"I am. You'll face down politicians and power brokers but _I_ scare you?" she wondered.

"Damn straight you scare me Mackenzie!" he said loudly, then became quiet. "You have no idea how much power you have over me. You never did."

She gripped his hand tighter and tilted his head up to look at her.

"I don't want power over you Will. I just want forgiveness" she said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"We're going to work on that one Mac. I promise."

"Ok. So, does this mean I get to keep the dog with me again today?" she asked.

"Only until lunch. Then we're going to try that whole sandwich in the park thing again and see how it goes this time. Deal?" he asked.

"Deal" she agreed. "And Will?"

"What Mac?"

"This weekend, dinner at the brownstone, you and me?" she asked shyly.

"I'd like that Mackenzie. I'll cook and we'll talk."

"That sounds wonderful" she told him.

"Oh, and Mac?" he asked, before he got up to leave.

"Yes?"

He leaned over and gave her a brief kiss on the forehead.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"Your father asked me to give you a kiss. He misses you. Actually, he misses us. Wanted us to come for a visit soon. We'll have to work on that" he said, giving her a quick wink and leaving the office.

"Well Woodward, it's just you and me now. What is your father up to?" she asked the dog.

"Woof!"

"You're no help at all."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes: Well, I am trying to keep up with my promise of having this entire story posted by the time the season premiere airs. There are two more chapters after this one…I suppose they might get posted by Sunday night? Depends on how faithfully you guys review…no pressure though! Enjoy!**

"Really, Woody? Do you even know I exist anymore?" Will asked the dog as he stuck his head into Mackenzie's office.

Woody looked up at him from where he had wound himself around Mac's legs, but made no move to leave his cozy nest under her desk.

"We missed each other, that's all Will. I'm sure he's still quite devoted to you" Mackenzie responded without looking up. She continued typing and intermittently sipping her coffee.

"It's 3:30 Mac. If we don't leave now we're not going to be getting a lunch break" he reminded her. "Come on Woody" he called. When that didn't work he whistled.

"Mackenzie, either you come outside with me right now or your office won't smell so good in a few minutes" he warned. The dog did seem to be appraising the coat rack in the corner of the room.

"Woodward, don't even think about it" Mackenzie warned and the dog hung his head. She got up and grabbed Woody's leash and attached it to his collar and he happily trotted after her.

"Two weeks ago he followed me around" Will mumbled as they headed for the elevators.

"He used to sleep in a pile of my old blankets. He remembers my scent Will. It doesn't mean he doesn't love you" she laughed and bumped his hip with hers. He grabbed her hand in his.

"Will?" she asked a little shakily.

"It's just me, Mackenzie. Relax, or we'll have a repeat of last Friday's smashed sandwiches and ten minute lunch."

She nodded and they headed outside.

"Go take Woody to the park and I'll grab our food this time" he urged, watching her take the leash and head across the street.

"See, that's how you treat a woman McAvoy. You buy _her_ lunch" Lonny piped up from behind him. Damn, he had almost forgotten the man was there…almost.

"Do you see me following you around and spouting out advice on your love life?" Will asked sarcastically.

"Of course not. I've been married for twenty years. If anyone here needs relationship advice it's you" Lonny informed him.

Will was stunned into silence for just a moment. In fact, he stopped walking so suddenly that Lonny crashed into him.

"Hey!" the bodyguard shouted.

"Cat-like reflexes, Lonny" Will laughed. "You've been married twenty years?" the anchorman asked as he stepped away from the center of the sidewalk and leaned against a nearby storefront.

"Yeah. My high-school sweetheart, Sharon. We have three kids. But you never asked. See…all this time you could have been benefiting from the vast repository of relationship knowledge locked up inside here" Lonny said, tapping his head. "But you never tried to see past my brute strength and charming good looks."

"Ok, relationship genius. What do you suggest I do?" Will asked the man, and then wanted to kick himself. How in the hell did it get to this point? He spent hours a week in therapy discussing nothing but Mackenzie and now, here he was on his lunch break, asking his bodyguard to fix his relationship with the woman? He really needed to figure this shit out soon or he was going to find himself pounding down _Help Me Rhonda's_ door during a long, lonely, sleep-deprived night.

"You just do it" Lonny said simply.

"That's it?! That's your brilliant plan? I just do it?!" Will shouted, and then ducked his head when he noticed several people staring at him.

"You intellectual types kill me" Lonny laughed. "Do you really think you can _talk _your way through _everything_? At some point, you stop talking and start living…together. Don't you think my wife and I have been through some shit in twenty years? Don't you think we've both made mistakes? And if one of us had left every time we fucked up we never would have made it. That's the good thing about being young and stupid and broke McAvoy! We never had any options. We couldn't afford for one of us to go to a hotel or move into a separate apartment across town. And we sure as hell couldn't spend one-hundred grand on therapy trying to figure out how to get over it! At some point, you just look at each other and realize that there's no one else in the world you would rather spend your time with and no one else who could put up with you. That's what Sharon is for me. And I've got a pretty strong suspicion that is what Mackenzie is for you. So stop wasting time, man. You're not getting any younger you know?" Lonny clapped him on the back and pushed him into the deli.

Will stood in line waiting to order and thought about what Lonny had said and he was starting to believe the man was right. Charlie too. Wasn't it just a few months ago that Charlie Skinner had reminded him he wasn't as young as he used to be and that, on the off chance he wasn't going to live forever, why not try happiness for a change?

"Shit" he mumbled under his breath and then looked up to see a rather stunned looking cashier staring at him. He wasn't sure whether she recognized him or was simply wondering why he was standing there cursing at her instead of ordering.

"Sorry about that. Two turkey sandwiches on wheat please. One with everything, one with only tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts" he rattled off effortlessly. And that too got him thinking. He knew everything about her…and she him. Who else in the world could he say that about? No one. Not his long-dead parents or his sisters or his brother or even Charlie Skinner, who liked to think he knew it all. Nope, none of them could say they knew him like Mackenzie did. There was just one more thing he needed to know about her and then, maybe they moved on. Maybe it really was as simply as all that.

He grabbed their sandwiches and shoved a fifty dollar bill at the cashier and ran out, not even waiting for change. He practically sprinted toward the park, with Lonny hot on his trail. He stopped though, momentarily stunned by the scene before him. Woodward was sitting next to Mackenzie on the park bench, both paws on her shoulder and stretching up to lick her face and she was simply blinking into the sunlight and laughing at him. She was gorgeous.

Lonny laughed at the astonished look on his face. "My father told me love is like quicksand. The deeper you fall in, the harder it is to get out. You're drowning in it man, so just give it up. You're not getting out of this one."

Will nodded dumbly and walked over to sit on the bench next to her.

"Tomatoes and sprouts?" she asked as she pushed Woodward away from her face and grabbed her sandwich. The dog jumped off the bench and found a spot of shade to lie in.

"Of course" Will responded, but still, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Lonny cleared his throat to get his attention. Oh right, he was supposed to say something now.

"Did you really realize you loved me because you slept with Brian?" he blurted out and then began blushing furiously when he realized how awful that must have sounded.

"What?!" she asked stunned, and then began to choke on the small bite of sandwich she had in her mouth.

"Sorry" he said, patting her on the back soothingly.

"Jesus Will! Can you start a conversation with something a little less explosive…like how about those Yankees? Or, what's your position on the second amendment?" she asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"I just realized something while I was waiting in line at the deli. While we're sitting here pussy-footing around our feelings we're not actually living our lives Mac. We're getting too old for this shit!" he exclaimed. Lonny chuckled.

"You're really batting a thousand here Will. First you cause me to choke on my lunch and now you're telling me I'm old?" Mackenzie asked. "What the hell is this? The slash and burn theory of relationships? You need to tear _me_ down so you can build _us_ up again?!" she shouted shrilly.

"Calm down Mac" he begged, watching as a few picnickers turned to stare in their direction and Woodward began to whine.

"I will not calm down! I should though. I should calm down" she reminded herself, and rubbed her hands through her hair roughly.

"I'm just saying that we need to decide that once we get a few things out in the open, then that's it Mac. We stop analyzing this shit to death" he pleaded.

"I'm not the one paying three hundred dollars an hour to the psychiatrist" she mumbled.

"No, you're not. But if you want to try talking to Lonny sometime you might find it helpful" he suggested, chuckling to himself.

"Now you're talking to your bodyguard about us Will? Damn it, how many people do you need to discuss our relationship with before you discuss it with _me_?!" she shouted, and Woody barked.

"You're right. I should have been talking to you all along, but I was angry Mac. I couldn't talk to you when you first came back. And to be perfectly honest I'm glad I didn't. Who knows what the hell I would have said to you!"

"I don't know…maybe something like get the hell out of my office because I just paid three million dollars for the right to fire you at the end of every week so don't get too damn comfortable in that studio!" she shouted right back at him.

"Mackenzie! This is not how this conversation was supposed to go! I had a breakthrough back there damn it!" he yelled, nodding over toward the deli.

"Yeah, well I had a breakthrough three years ago when I realized I loved you and not Brian Brenner!" she screamed.

"Uh, guys? If this is how the rest of this conversation is going to go, you might want to take it to a slightly less public place" Lonny suggested as he walked up to their park bench.

"Jesus Mac! Just forget it ok? I was trying to say something that would fix this" he said dejectedly, gesturing with his hands between the two of them.

"Maybe it can't be fixed" she said quietly, and then stood to go. It was then that she realized what was missing….Woodward.

"Woodward!" she yelled, looking around for any sign of the dog. Will's head popped up at her alarmed tone and his stomach fell when he saw no sign of the dog. Fuck! In all their yelling and screaming they had never noticed what had happened to his dog…their dog. Shit!

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere Mac. He's never run off before" he told her, grabbing her hand and walking around the slightly wooded area that surrounded them.

"Woodward! Woody?!" they shouted in unison.

They spent the next half hour shouting for the dog and asking any passersby if they had seen the scruffy little mutt, but to no avail. Mac was nearly frantic by this time and was horror-struck at the words that left Will's mouth.

"We have to go now Mac. He'll be fine. We'll come back and look for him later. We have to go back to work" he said firmly, but felt like a heartless fool when he saw the tear that cascaded down her cheek.

"You go back. I want to keep looking for a little while" she told him, gathering the dog's leash and the remains of their sandwiches, hoping to tempt Woody back to her.

"Mac" he pleaded.

"No!" she shouted firmly. "He's my dog…or he was. And I want him back! Go to the office Will. I'll call you if I find anything" she said and stomped off.

"Any suggestions now? Because your advice has helped me _so_ much" Will asked Lonny.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. Why the hell do you two turn everything into an argument? You were talking about getting back together for God's sake?! How the hell did you screw that up?"

"Mackenzie and I could argue about anything. It's a gift. In fact, I think we once had a two-day long battle over what color ink to use on _The New York Times_ crossword puzzle" Will admitted.

"Gift my ass. It's a choice and you're choosing wrong" Lonny informed him and then unceremoniously shoved him back toward the studio. Will turned back and watched, torn, as Mackenzie wandered the park alone with a pitifully useless dog leash hanging from her hands.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes: Will Woodward ever be found? Can Will stop messing up his "apologies"? Can these two ever finish a meal or a conversation without arguing or losing a dog? Let's see…**

Will knew he was in trouble when Mackenzie spoke barely a word to him throughout the broadcast. He had seen her rush through the newsroom with only minutes to spare until the show, and then heard her terse "thirty seconds Will" in his ear just before they went on the air. Had she really spent nearly five hours searching for the dog?

The minute the red light stopped flashing at the end of the show, he tore off his microphone and dashed for the control room.

"Where is she?!" he shouted frantically as he threw open the door. Jim merely pointed toward the hallway leading to her office. Once he reached it, the room was already dark, and there was no sign of Mackenzie or her belongings.

"Damn it" he muttered to himself. He rushed to his own office to change and returned to the bullpen.

"I know I have no right to ask any of you to help me out on a personal errand after hours, but this is for Mackenzie, and I know how you all feel about her and well…" Will stammered to the entire staff. Mercifully, Sloan cut him off before he could fumble for any more words.

"You just said the magic word Will…_Mackenzie_. What do you need?" she asked. The rest of the staff nodded in agreement.

"That dog you've seen me with the last week or so? That was our dog. Well, Mackenzie's dog, actually. I bought him for her years ago. And this afternoon, while we were with him in the park, he ran off. Mac's really heartbroken over it. I'm sure she'd appreciate it if you could all spend an hour or so searching for the mutt" he pleaded.

Will watched, more than a little touched, as they all piled into the elevators and headed across the street.

"See, they all know what you two are taking a fucking ice-age to figure out" Lonny chuckled, pushing Will toward the lobby.

"And what's that, fifth-round draft pick?" Will asked, sarcastically.

"That you and Mackenzie are already family. And family supports each other…family forgives. Give it a shot sometime McAvoy."

Will just stood there, stunned, and watched as his 'family' gathered around the sad looking woman sitting on the park bench. They all walked past her, after giving her shoulder a little squeeze, and set off across the grass in search of Woody.

"You did this?" she asked, nodding toward all the staffers, when he sat down next to her.

"No, _you_ did this Mac. They adore you…all I had to do was mention your name and they were up for anything. Including looking for our dog at ten o'clock on a work night" Will said softly.

"_Our_ dog?"she asked meekly.

"Of course. He always was…_you_ were just missing for a while. Now, _he's_ missing…but we'll get him back."

"And then what?" she asked, grabbing his hand.

"And then…whatever comes next. Maybe we get a fish named Deep Throat" he said, kissing her on the cheek. She giggled.

"That's a terrible name for a fish Will! If we're getting a fish his name must be Ben Bradlee" she told him mock-serious.

"Fine, the fish will be named Ben Bradlee. You don't think Bernstein will eat him, do you?" Will asked.

"No, of course not. Bernstein is a very peaceful cat. He hasn't tried to kill Woodward yet has he?"

"True. Now let's go find our dog and go home" he replied, pulling her up off the park bench and joining the search for Woodward.

After more than an hour of shouting and screeching their way through the park, Will and Mackenzie sadly admitted defeat, and sent the staff on their way. Will stuffed a couple of hundred dollar bills into Jim's pocket and told him to take everyone out for drinks.

"I'm sorry Kenz" he whispered into her hair, on the drive over to the brownstone.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is. If we hadn't been shouting at each other maybe he wouldn't have taken off."

"Well then, it's both our faults Will. I was doing just as much shouting as you were. We always did get a little too caught up in our arguments."

"Maybe that's something we need to work on" he told her.

"Yeah, maybe it is. They usually ended well though" she replied, poking him in the side.

"We never had trouble making up" he agreed, kissing her temple.

"Except for that last time" she said sadly, just as they pulled up at her house. They both climbed out and Mackenzie unlocked the front door.

"I'm sorry" Will said suddenly.

"Will, stop apologizing for losing the dog. It's nobody's fault" she told him, hanging her coat on the rack just inside the door.

"That's not what I'm apologizing for. I'm sorry that we didn't get to make up…that last time" he told her.

"Yeah well, that 'last time' was hardly a fight over who forgot to add milk to the grocery list or pay the phone bill" she replied sadly.

"No, you're right, it wasn't. But screaming at you to get out of the house and then refusing to speak to you was never going to solve the problem either. And _that_ was my fault Mackenzie. I'm sorry that I didn't even try to put us back together."

She nodded through her tears. "Ok" she whispered.

"Come here" he begged, pulling her into his arms.

"Can we start over?" he asked. She simply nodded against his chest.

"I wasn't" she mumbled into his jacket.

"What?" he asked, thoroughly confused.

"The last thing you shouted at me that night was what the hell were you thinking?!" she said, pulling away and looking him in the eyes. "I wasn't thinking Will. It's no excuse, but it's my answer. Brian was easy and careless and inconsequential…and everything you weren't. You made me think and question and plan for a life I had never imagined and it scared the shit out of me. We had a dog for fuck's sake! And an apartment, and a brownstone, and a car, and this whole joint life that I was absolutely sure I never wanted and I didn't know what the hell to do with it…until it was too late. So yes, I really didn't realize what I had until it was gone. I really didn't know I was in love with you until I slept with Brian."

He stood back and leaned against the wall of the hallway…then he slid down the wall and landed on his ass with his legs sprawled out before him.

"Will?" she asked, a little concerned. She knelt down in front of him and tilted his head up to look at her.

"Ok" he said.

"Ok, what?" she asked.

"Ok, now we move on. I promised you earlier, in the park, that we would discuss this and move on. I got my question answered. That's all I need" he told her, vowing to himself that it was true. She climbed into his lap and clung to him tightly, as they both let years of unshed tears flow between them.

"Meow" they heard a few minutes later. "MEOW!" the cat bellowed again. Then they heard scratching. They both stood and headed for the kitchen where Bernstein was walking back and forth in front of the garden door and screeching loudly. Then they heard the scratching again and they both ran for the door, unlocking it and throwing it open. Woodward ran into the kitchen and set off after Bernstein.

Will and Mackenzie burst out laughing and went in search of the pair. They found Woody lying on Mackenzie's bed with Bernie sniffing him delicately. The cat circled a few times, and then settled in right next to the dog, and began purring.

"I guess they missed each other?" Will said, as he and Mackenzie stood in the doorway watching and wiping the tears from their eyes.

"I guess so. Maybe there's hope for us all?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his torso and settling her head against his shoulder.

"Yeah, I think there is" he said firmly.

**More Notes: One more chapter to go! But, given a few of the comments I've received, I feel I should have put some sort of disclaimer on this story before I started. If you are not American, or are under the age of 25 or so (God, I feel old writing this!), I suppose Woodward and Bernstein might not be terribly familiar names to you. If you're still reading this, I would guess you have looked it up by now. If I have confused you even more in this chapter, let me clear a few things up. Woodward and Bernstein are the Washington Post reporters who broke the Watergate Scandal that led to President Nixon resigning. Ben Bradlee was the Executive Editor of the Post at the time. Deep Throat was the name of Woodward's anonymous source (who Woodward named in honor of a long-ago porn movie, oddly enough) and who was eventually revealed to be an FBI official named Mark Felt. Ok, history lesson over. Go watch more Newsroom…and stay tuned for the final chapter of this story tomorrow. Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes: Well, here we are…the end. Finally! Thanks for following along with me and staying interested in a story about Will and Mackenzie's pets. It could have been a ridiculous disaster, but I think it all turned out ok, don't you? Oh, and before you ask…yes, Checkers really was the name of Nixon's dog. Without further ado, I give you my last fanfic post before the season two premiere. Enjoy!**

"Will? Get up! Billy?!" he heard her whisper from the other side of the bed.

"Why? It's still dark out for God's sake! I do the evening news Mackenzie not _Good Morning America_. Now, let me sleep please" he grumbled.

"They have to go out" she replied, poking his back.

"Who has to go out?"

"Them" she told him.

He rolled over and found himself looking into three sets of brown eyes. Mackenzie, Woodward and Checkers.

"I disavow all knowledge of those two mangy mutts. Now, you guys…out of bed" he responded, pushing the pups toward the floor and pulling Mackenzie closer.

"Will! My wood floors are about to be ruined! Take the damn dogs out!" she shrieked. That woke the cat, who leapt off the armoire and onto his pillow. Damn it! Now he was well and truly awake. Why the hell _shouldn't_ he trudge downstairs and let the damn dogs out?!

Yes _dogs_…as in plural. Will watched Woody and Checkers scamper around the small garden area just outside the kitchen and remembered the events of several months ago…the series of circumstances that brought them another dog and a joint mailing address.

They'd only been back together a few weeks and Woody was pining away back at Will's apartment for Mackenzie and his newest little best friend Bernstein. Will tried to convince Woody that just because Mackenzie went to _her_ home at the end of the evening and didn't stay with them, didn't mean she loved him any less. It didn't mean they weren't working on putting their little family back together. Woody was not buying it. Apparently the dog didn't understand the concept of dating and taking things slowly.

He howled at Will all night long. He sat by the elevator and stared at it, as if willing Mackenzie to walk through it with Bernie in tow. It seemed Woodward was convinced that they already were a family…and families lived together.

Will didn't want to make the mistake of pushing Mackenzie back into a full-blown domesticated partnership any sooner than she was ready for…but he was becoming desperate. He tried spraying her perfume on the pillows and the couch, thinking it would comfort the dog. No such luck. He even stole one of her nightgowns after a late-night dinner at the brownstone and brought it home to Woody. The dog promptly took it to a corner and curled up in it to sleep….only to awaken an hour later searching for his mistress. It really was pitiful.

That was when disaster struck. Will received a frantic call at the office from Rosa. Woody had tried to eat Mackenzie's nightgown. Had even managed to swallow a few pieces of it before the housekeeper could pry it away from him. Shit! How the hell was he going to explain this to Mackenzie?

"Ok, before I walk in here and tell you what I am about to tell you, just keep in mind that you love me and we've spent years working all our issues out to be together again and you don't want all that effort to have been in vain. You cannot kill me now Mac" he pleaded, entering her office with his hands raised in surrender.

"What did you do?" she asked suspiciously.

"I _may_ have stolen one of your nightgowns" he said cautiously.

"_May_ have? Isn't this something you would remember doing Will? Or have you become a sleepwalking undergarment thief in the night?"

"Ok, I _did_ steal one of your nightgowns…but it was for a good cause!" he assured her.

"Are you trying to clothe the homeless in three hundred dollar silk nightshirts from La Perla?" she asked, tilting her head and trying desperately not to laugh at his expression.

"I gave the dog a three-hundred dollar nightshirt?!" he shouted.

"Yes, apparently you did. May I ask _why_ you gave Woodward my nightshirt?"

"He misses you."

"He sees me nearly every day! How can he miss me?"

"Because you leave every night! He doesn't understand…and I think he misses Bernie too" Will mumbled pitifully. Mackenzie burst out laughing.

"Are you trying to tell me that our animals would like us to move in together?" she asked, coming around her desk and sitting down in the chair next to him.

"Yeah…I guess I am."

"Ok" she said gently, reaching for his hand.

"Ok? That's it?! Ok?!" he shouted.

"Yeah…ok."

"But…but" he sputtered, searching for the right words.

"But what Will? We're both consenting adults. According to Sloan, we already act like we're married anyway. What's the point of this ridiculous game of apartment round robin we're playing?" she asked. "Besides, I'm getting tired of wondering where I left my hairdryer or my make-up bag."

"I thought _you_ wouldn't be ready! I was trying not to push you!" he shouted.

"I'm forty…you're fifty-three. We're not getting any younger. Besides, it's not as if anyone else would put up with either one of us!"

"True" he agreed. "You are a real pain in the ass."

"Hey! I'm trying to ask you to move in with me here" she reminded him.

"Oh, I thought I was trying to ask _you_ to move in with _me_?" he responded.

"Fine. We're both asking each other. But you're moving into the brownstone. There's more room. And I don't want to move into your bachelor pad. Who knows how many women you've had in that bedroom? I shudder to think" she said, trying to physically shake the image out of her mind.

"Oh, and I'm sure Wade Campbell never spent an evening at the brownstone?" he grumbled.

"Actually, no. I didn't want him in my space. It unnerved me somehow" she admitted.

"So, we're moving in together…again?" he asked rhetorically.

"Yup. Now, would you care to explain what calamity brought you in here in the first place?"

"Oh, right. Woody ate your nightshirt."

"What?! Where is he? Is he ok?" she sputtered, jumping up to grab her coat and purse.

"He's at the vet's Mac and he'll be fine. After they remove the nightshirt from his stomach."

"William! Why did you leave him alone with it anyway?"

"We used to let him sleep in a pile of your old t-shirts. What the hell is the difference?!" he asked, truly clueless as to what he had done wrong.

"The difference is that we let him sleep in my t-shirts when he was three months old! He couldn't have chewed through the damn things then! He's a fifty pound beast now. You don't leave a full grown dog alone with something he can chew to bits!" she shouted, frantically grabbing her cell phone and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To see my dog!"

"_Our_ dog" he reminded her.

"Fine, _our_ dog. I'll be back in an hour…you handle the rundown meeting" she admonished as she ran from the room.

And that had been his second mistake. He had already made the obviously poor choice of leaving Woody alone with Mackenzie's silk underthings. Not accompanying Mac to the vet's office was his next blunder…because that is where both Woodward and Mackenzie fell in love with Checkers.

Checkers was an abandoned Springer spaniel that had somehow wound up starving and limping through Central Park on her own. One of Dr. Butler's veterinary technicians had found the poor pup huddling in some bushes and brought her straight into the office. The pitiful animal wouldn't warm up to anyone…not the vet or his many assistants. And the dog curled into the corner of her cage and tried to keep her distance from all the other animals being boarded there…until Woodward and Mackenzie showed up.

Will knew he should have been worried when Mac brought him breakfast in bed two days later.

"What did you do Mackenzie?" he asked suspiciously, eyeing the burnt toast and tepid coffee she had placed before him.

"Just remember…it was your fault we were at the vet's in the first place" she said carefully.

"Ok" he replied, still not sure what trouble Mac and Woody could have gotten into in the short two days the dog had been staying at the vet's office.

"And Woody still isn't feeling well, so I really couldn't upset him" Mackenzie continued, obviously stalling for time.

"What did you do Mac?" he asked again.

"You remember how we talked about getting a fish?"

"Yeah?"

"What if the fish was a Springer spaniel?"

"Mackenzie! We work fifteen hour days, we're still trying to combine our two residences into one, we have a dog and a cat and you want to bring more chaos into this situation?" He was truly stunned.

"Yes? Come on Will, we thrive under pressure! We'll be fine. And Checkers is just the sweetest little thing and Woodward adores her. She doesn't have a home Will, please?" Mackenzie pleaded, curling against his side and looking up at him with the brown eyes he never could refuse.

"Checkers? Wasn't that the name of Nixon's dog?" he asked chuckling.

"Yes! You see it's perfect! It was meant to be!" she exclaimed, taking a bite of the toast she had fixed him.

"Did you name the dog or did the vet?"

"The vet's assistant. Checkers has black and white spots all over and she was abandoned and starving and had a broken leg and no one has claimed her and no one wants to pay the vet bills and she and Woodward really seem to like each other and…"

"Ok" he cut her off before she could begin hyperventilating.

"Ok?" she asked uncertainly.

"Ok, but can we wait a couple of days to pick her up until I have most of my things moved in here? We have enough commotion around this house right now without adding another dog to the mix" he pleaded, looking around the bedroom at all the boxes he still had to unpack.

"Deal!" she shouted, kissing him soundly.

Now, as he stood by the back door these many months later, waiting for Checkers and Woody to finish up outside, he wondered how they hell they had all gotten here. Three years apart and more than a year of fights and skirmishes, and yet somehow, they still ended up at this place. Back together, in a home with two dogs and a cat and the Sunday paper and late night dinners and everything he had ever wanted with Mackenzie. Thank God, he thought, it was about time!

"Come on you two, I have to be at work in five hours. Can you stop searching the two hundred square feet of grass you have out there for the perfect pee spot?" he pleaded.

"They want a weekend house in the Hamptons…much more room to play" Mackenzie whispered as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"_They_ want the house or _you_ want the house?" he asked sarcastically.

"Um…we _all_ want the house?" she suggested.

"Have you already found said house and mentioning this to me now is nothing more than a formality?"

"You'll need to sign the papers."

"Mackenzie! Have you seriously made an offer on a house without talking to me about it?"

"No! Absolutely not! But I did arrange for the realtor to take us out to see it this weekend" she mumbled into his back.

"Am I going to have a heart attack when I see the price of this house?" he asked.

"No, not really. It's been on the market for a while. We should be able to negotiate."

"You do realize negotiation goes right out the window when they see me walk through the door? The minute a realtor sees a recognizable face all they can envision are dancing dollar signs."

"Wear a disguise."

"Mackenzie…"

"Will…" she whined back. He turned around and looked at her pleading eyes and knew it was a lost cause. He never had been able to deny her anything. She was going to be the death of him.

"When are we meeting this realtor?" he asked, giving into her just like he always did.

"Noon on Saturday. Now, come back to bed" she urged. He whistled for the dogs and they came trotting in and settled next to each other on the couch. Bernstein delicately jumped up onto a nearby chair and watched his two canine companions carefully.

"See, I told you they adored each other" she said, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"There's really something unnatural about Checkers liking Woodward and Bernstein" he mumbled.

"Hey, _we're_ an odd mix, but it all worked out for us in the end."

"You're right, it did. Now, get your ass back in that bed before they follow us up there" he pleaded, practically pushing her up the stairs.

"They don't like to be away from us, that's all Billy."

"Yeah, well I don't like Woodward and Bernstein watching us have sex."

"Please don't ever say that sentence aloud again Will."

**The End.**


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